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Winter / December 2016-February 2017

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T H E C A L L E R

CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH

Join us this Christmas season for family friendly Worship. All are welcome! ¡Todos son bienvenidos! Saturday, December 24 – Christmas Eve Cookies and cider, 4:30 p.m. in Woodward Hall Christmas Eve Worship with Nativity, 5:00 p.m. Sunday, December 25 – Christmas Day Coffee and doughnut fellowship, 10:00 a.m. in Woodward Hall (no Sunday School) Family Worship, 11:00 a.m. Sunday, January 1 – New Year’s Day Coffee and doughnut fellowship, 10:00 a.m. in Woodward Hall (no Sunday School) Christmastide Worship, 11:00 a.m.

Nativity at Calvary Baptist Church. “So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds re-turned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.” - [Luke 2:16-20]

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Music and the Arts Winter / December 2016-February 2017 Calvary Caller

Meet Calvary’s Music Staff

As a new season begins here at Calvary, we welcome these folks to the Calvary Music Staff.

Allysa Packard, Soprano Soloist and Section Leader. Allysa is a recent graduate of Utah State University, and currently is first-year at UMD in the Maryland Opera Studio master’s program.

Emily Honzel, Alto Soloist and Section Leader. Emily graduated from Northwestern University as a Vocal Performance and Pre-Med major, and now is at UMD in the Opera Studio MMus program.

Miles Herr, Tenor Soloist and Section Leader. Miles graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with degrees in Vocal Performance and Quantitative Biology. He is wrapping up work at UMD in the Opera Studio master’s program.

Zain Shariff, Baritone Soloist and Section Leader. Zain teaches at Elizabeth Seton High School in Bladensburg. As a busy musician, he is active in Hub Opera, Third Practice Ensemble, and City Choir of Washington.

John Dautzenberg, Principle Organist. Currently, John is pursuing a new career with the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS), supporting doctors and medical professionals on the ground in the strife-torn region. John has served Calvary at the organ since he was an undergrad student at Catholic University.

Keevin Lewis, Organist. Keevin has an exciting career with Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. He’s making wedding plans for 2017!

Graham Velsey, Student Organist. Graham is 15 years old, a student at the Parkmont School in Washington, and he has sung with The Maryland State Boy Choir since childhood. He studies organ with John Dautzenberg and piano with Cheryl Branham.

Thanks to all these fine folks for supporting our volunteer singers in Sanctuary Choir and Festival Choir, and for supporting our congregation in music and in worship. Welcome, one and all!

Thanks to Calvary’s Music and Arts Team

In 2016, Calvary welcomed Keevin Lewis to the Board as our first Representative for Music and Arts. In 2017, Lauren Hovis will fill this role. Working with Keevin and Cheryl this year on the Music and Arts Team are Chuck Andreatta, Sandi Auman and Eugenia Reyes. Thank you, one and all, for your service in Music and Arts at Calvary in 2016!

Allysa Packard Miles Herr Keevin Lewis Graham Velsey

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Winter / December 2016-February 2017 Calvary Caller

Fall Highlights

On Saturday, October 22, Calvary presented organist Jay Parrotta in a benefit recital, raising funds to support repairs and maintenance of the Calvary organ. Jay presented an exceptional program, including an original composition in memory of Sarah Tupitza. Many thanks to Victor Tupitza whose generous support made this concert possible!

On Sunday morning, November 6, Calvary hosted Carolina Choir from UNC Chapel Hill, singing in worship for All Saints Sunday. The choir of 70 singers and their director, Susan Klebanow, were in DC for a brief weekend tour, including a performance at National Cathedral that same afternoon. Thanks to everyone at Calvary for hosting this fine tour choir and for providing a spaghetti lunch after worship in the Chapel.

Advent and Christmas, a Holy Season at Calvary

Festival Choir rehearsals began on November 13—be sure to join us on Sunday afternoons, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. in Music Suite.

December 11 features Calvary’s children leading in worship. Children’s Choir sings two Appalachian carols, plus Calvary’s young instrumentalists perform. Don’t miss it!

December 18 features Festival Choir leading a Service of Lessons and Carols in worship, 11:00 a.m. This will be a beautiful day in worship, with poinsettias in place too!

Make plans to join us for family-friendly worship experiences on Christmas Eve, December 24 at 5:00 p.m.; Christmas morning at 11:00 a.m.; New Year’s Sunday morning at 11:00 a.m. For each of these holiday worship services, all ages are welcome—no Sunday School or Nursery on these dates. Be sure to bring along family and friends as we worship together this holiday season!

January 8 marks Epiphany Sunday and the end of our holiday season; Choir and Sunday School resume. Be sure to wrap up your holiday in worship at Calvary!

Thanks to everyone at Calvary for supporting Music and Arts—your prayers, your involvement, and your generous gifts make all things possible, whether in worship, in concert, with our children or our adults. Become involved in the arts at Calvary in 2017! Talk with Cheryl to share ideas.

Wishing everyone in the Calvary Community many good gifts this holy season and in 2017!

Cheryl Branham Director of Music [email protected]

Jay Parrotta at the Calvary Moller Wicks organ.

Carolina Choir in Worship November 6

mailto:[email protected]

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See the Light, Be the Light

I've been a longtime admirer of Quaker spirituality and traditions. Quakers have a deep history of equality and contemplative spirituality. I often find the most sacred spaces to be the most silent spaces. Quakers often refer to the inner divine spark, perhaps what others may call the Holy Spirit or imago dei, as The Inner Light.

We find ourselves again at the time of year when everything feels darker as the sun rises later and sets earlier. As the world around us literally darkens, we use more light inside buildings and homes. The Inner Light is among us.

Lean in to the cues of the Earth- slow down, rest, appreciate the season for what it is while remembering spring will come again in due time. After snow falls, listen for how it softens the usual sounds.

A recent article shared some ideas about how to enjoy winter from experts- Norwegians who experience winter with particular intensity. This is timely as many of us dread the cabin fever of winter. The article suggests resisting bonding with one another over complaining about winter. The author encourages “celebrating the things one can only do in winter” such as skiing and warm beverages, coziness and fun sweaters. There is a beauty to winter that should not be ignored. "There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing."

Winter is a season for Light, stillness, and silence.

Winter brings the opportunity to see literal and figurative inner and outer light. When the day is short and the night is long, ask God for more Light in the midst of stillness and silence.

“You are the light of the world. You don’t build a city on a hill, then try to hide it, do you? You don’t light a lamp then put it under a bushel basket, do you? No, you set it on a stand where it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, your light must shine before others so that they may see your good acts and give praise to your Abba God in heaven.” [Matthew 5:14-16, The Inclusive Bible]

Shalom, Pastora Erica [email protected]

Photo by Erica Lea

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Report on the DC Baptist Convention 140th Annual Gathering October 2016

“So then, as we have opportunity, Let us do good to everyone…” Galatians 6:10

The 140th Annual Gathering of the DC Baptist Convention united Baptists from near and far in many important and timely discussions. From Religious Liberty to Youth Mission Projects, from Immigration Service Activities to Intercultural and Inter-Faith Cooperation and Collaboration. Representatives of 150 churches from DC, Virginia and Maryland discussed how to enrich the larger DC Community with the different aspects of the Christian faith.

This year the Convention convened a “Vision Team” of six persons (Rev. Bo Chang, Rev. James Garnett, Dr. Leroy Ilbert, Ms. Carmen Gray, Mr. Jason Jutila and Dr. Carol Wilson) to work on the vision and values for DCBC for the next several years.

The Convention is planning a series of Empowering Congregations Activities in 2017. There will be training sessions on Conflict Management (February 18), for Sunday School Directors, Super-intendants and Teachers (March 4), for Ushers (April 8), for Vacation Bible School Organizers (April 22), for Multicultural Ministry Organizers (May 20) and for Deacons and Trustees (November 4).

Among the highlights of the Small Group Sessions were sessions such as “Leading as Support Staff” led by Rev. Starlette McNeill. According to the Leaders Group in the class, the pastor should have the vision for the church and the congregation should inquire about his vision. The pastor, according to the participants has responsibilities and the members have duties. Associate pastors should dispel problems and be part of the solution in leadership. According to the Support Staff Group, the support staff protect and support the pastor; pastors are called to the ministry and communication between leadership and support staff is essential. Rev. McNeill was full of enthusiasm and at the conclusion of the session pointed out that assignment of positions can value or devalue a person.

Another example of a successful Small Group Session was “Matter of the Church’s Money” presented by Michelle D. Rhett, Esq. She founded the Maximum Driven Results Group, LLC, (MDR Group), home to the nation’s first ecclesiastical law center, and has advised more than 2,500 legal, educational and religious organizations, shielding them from unnecessary lawsuits. Ms. Rhett has authored a ten volume instructional series entitled Church at Risk: Piercing the Sacred Veil. She spoke about the protections afforded a church due to its not-for-profit IRS status and emphasized that donations are not the church’s money, but public funds that the government has jurisdiction over. Ms. Rhett spoke about a recent legal case in Virginia whereby a church couple had cultivated investors and are being prosecuted for misappropriating the funds.

A very informative session was presented by Dr. Robert Cochran on “Grant Writing 101.” Dr. Cochran distributed an informative Teachers Outline which focused on Teaching Goals, Learning Objectives, Opportunities, Challenges and Resources of grant writing. Fifty-one DCBC churches/ representatives are currently enrolled in grant writing training offered by DCBC free of cost through Dr. Stephen Broyles of Howard University. Normally, it costs $695 per person.

Two primary resources for grant information are: 1) the District Office of Partnerships and Grant Services, located at Judiciary Square, and 2) The Foundation Center, located on K Street. The presenter suggested the best way to begin research on grants is to have an initial meeting with Lafayette Barns, Exec. Director of the DC Grants Office. Dr. Cochran offered to accompany DCBC church members to such a meeting. To receive or post announcements regarding grants, Dr. Cochran recommended registering online for ‘Funding Alert’ with the DC Office of Partnerships and Grant Services www.opgs.dc.gov.

Sandi Auman and Liubov Russell represented Calvary at the DCBC Annual Banquet, and stood when Calvary’s Rev. Erica Lea’s name was called as a new addition to the DCBC Pastoral Family. Sandra Swann, Director of Marketing at WFAX 1220 AM Christian radio, wfax.com, located in Falls Church VA, offered interview opportunities for the program Main Street. WFAX and free PSAs to churches.

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Snapshots

Pictures from Sunday School on October 16, 2016, featuring the Ark of the Covenant.

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Handbells in Worship on September 18, 2016.


Calvary members preparing school supplies on September 11, 2016 for the WMS School Kit project.

A Time with Children, with Josh Russell, September 18, 2016.

This year’s goal for the DCBC is the collection of $40,000 ($261 per church to the National Capital Area Mission Offering – NCAMO/also known as The Blessing). The funds raised will focus on four objectives – giving assistance to immigrants through a ministry center, teaching youth to give Christian service, employing summer interns between their semesters in Baptist seminaries, and obtaining a new van for use by the churches Older Adults Ministry. According to the credo of the DC Baptist Convention, the spirituality is best seen by the willingness of one to give as they have received (James 2:14-17). We are confident that together, we could demonstrate many acts of worship and discipleship and contribute to the organization’s goal to make a difference in the lives of individuals, churches and communities.

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DC Baptist Convention Annual Gathering

Snapshots

Photos from Memorial Service for Kyin Oo, October 27, 2016.

A Time with Children, with Leah Grundset-Davis, November 20, 2016.

Graham Velsey in worship, October 9, 2016.


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A Time with Children, with Amparo Palacios-Lopez, October 2, 2016.

Pictures from WMS and Calvary Burmese women’s event on November 19, 2016. Meredith Owens of Church World Services addresses

the WMS and Calvary Burmese women’s event, November 19.


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Photos from the Shalom Luncheon October 2, 2016.

World Communion Day at Calvary, October 2, 2016.


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Nominating Committee Report Proposed Slate for 2017

November 20, 2016

The following is the report of the 2016 Nominating Committee—Daniel Alcazar, Amy Dale, Kathie Lansing, Eva Powell and Becky Vaughn. The nominees will be voted on at the Church’s Annual Business Meeting, Sunday, January 22, 2017. Terms begin January 2017 and end January, 2018. The Committee thanks everyone for agreeing to serve in these im-portant positions.

Position Current 2016 Nominated for 2017 Moderator Becky Vaughn Tim Shaw

Secretary Claudia Moore Abbey Ammerman

Treasurer/Finance Barbara Hoffer Becky Vaughn

Christian Formation Daniel Alcazar Rick Goodman

Facilities Amy Shaw Jeremy Fretts

Membership Development and Communications Salima Appiah-Duffell John Appiah-Duffell and Sandi Auman

Diaconate Abbey Ammerman Lu Shan and Ashley Becker

Personnel Jess Lynd Daniel Alcazar

Missions Jackie Wright Josh Russell

Stewardship Tim Shaw Corina Lopez

Music and Arts Keevin Lewis Lauren Hovis

Nominations Jay Mayfield Amaka Anku

Latino Fellowship Eugenia Reyes Eugenia Reyes

Diaconate Current 2016 Nominated for 2017 Jeremy Fretts Karen Rice

Yolanda Appiah-Kubi Jody Smith

Ashley Becker Ashley Becker

Amparo Palacios Lopez Amparo Palacios Lopez

Nancy Renfrow Nancy Renfrow

John Taylor John Taylor

Lu Shan Lu Shan

Jose Gonzalez-Alfaro Jose Gonzalez-Alfaro

Claudia Moore

Liubov Russell

Third Quarter Business Meeting Summary Sunday, October 23, 2016

Following a fund raising luncheon provided by the Shalom Scholarship Committee, Tim Shaw called the third quarter business meeting to order. A quorum was present and the minutes of the July 24 business meeting were approved as published.

Following a recommendation from the Mission and Facilities committees and discussion, the congregation ap-proved posting a Black Lives Manner banner outside the Sanctuary. The committees will prepare a flyer to ex-plain the purpose of the banner – to encourage people to get involved in social justice issues.

The Budget for 2017 was presented and approved.

Reports from the various committees and the treasurer were printed, and are available from the church office.

Birthdays at Calvary (December-February) December 1 Raymond Toense José González-Alfaro Francisco Pereira-Estrada 2 Luke Thomas-Canfield 4 Kevin Culbertson 5 Cheryl Branham Emilia López-Arias 6 Roger Wray 8 Kay Anderson Maha Mohamed Randy Jeter 9 Carrie Davis 10 Josephine Samuel Phineas Kosmidis 11 Sarah Leismer 13 Tom Vanaskie 14 Tiffany Cain 16 Zachary Boren Wyatt Harvey 19 Deborah Hoxie 20 Bich Nguyen Ruziel Angdisen 22 Marilyn Edwards Angela Shrader 23 Brian Nielsen Nancy Garabito Elizabeth Boren Nkem Megwalu 24 Linda Young Edwin Reyes 25 Joyce Topper Sabrina Jawed 26 Wallace Shipp 27 Samuel Greene Diana Culbertson 28 Charles Pritchard Ye Mon Min Erwin-Luis Eusebio 29 Katherine Whatley José Guandique 31 Taylor Patton

January 3 Dwayne Pinkney 4 Bryon Jolley 6 Anson Purdy 7 Raimundo Barreto Lauren Zehyoue 8 Julie LaFave Barbara Stone 9 Amanda Butler Oluwaseun Obaro 12 Charles Booth 13 Aldon Nielsen Thit Htoo Salima Appiah-Duffell 15 Xochitl Palacios 16 Rohan Thomas 17 Dorothy Shipp Grace Wright 18 Cynthia Sunde Helen Jenkins 19 Barbara Szydla 20 Leigh Mayfield Laura Lee 22 David Mein Justus Parrotta 23 Ernest Lohse Benjamin Rogers 25 Phillip Rynes Vivian Varner William Sammons Dorothy Robson Gwendolyn Haywood 26 Timothy Shaw 27 Chase Butler 28 Roza Arakelian Roberto Reyes 30 Wetein Hassan 31 Lorraine Harris

February 1 Susan Wood Zachary Miller Elijah Zehyoue 2 James Philus Mayra Rivas 4 Thidar Myint Bethany Perryman 5 Leona Love Ubaldo Alatorre Jere Lorenzen-Strait 6 Delida Girón Ruth Alcazar Rory Dalton 7 Jason Carroll 9 Connell Wise Maya Harvey 10 Nancy McKenney Karla Fahey Dante Cruz 13 Earl Drescher Danyelle Robinson Shunda Saunders Margaret Bongiovanni Anna Pikhalenko 14 Albert Jeter Truman Robinson 15 Helon Drescher Keevin Lewis Ronald Chin 16 Roger Chin 17 James Bucy 19 Sarah White 20 Therese Crowther Amy Butler 21 Elizabeth Hagan 22 Caio Cesar Silva Barreto 24 Benjamin Bergfalk Susana Goméz José Guandique 26 Susan Sevier 28 Demetrio Angdisen Morgan Caruthers


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Rev. Erica Lea, Pastor in Residence; Rev. Elijah Zehyoue, Pastoral Resident; Cheryl Branham, Director of Music; Harold L. Ritchie, Editor Emeritus; Paul Rosstead, Church Administrator;

Sabra Barrett, Administrative and Communications Assistant

Calvary Baptist Church 755 8th St NW Washington, DC 20001

202-347-8355; Fax: 202-347-6360 www.calvarydc.org

Contact Pastor Erica

([email protected]) if

you are interested. Contact Pastor Erica

([email protected]) if you

are interested in this new

small group.

Annual Business Meeting Date As set by the Church Board, the Annual Business Meeting will be on Sunday, January 22, 2017.

Ash Wednesday March 1, 2017, service times to be announced

First Sunday in Lent March 5, 2017


A HOLY SEASON AT CALVARY

Sunday, December 4 - Advent Day of Peace Rev. Erica Lea preaching, 11:00 a.m.

Mission Fair hosted by Women’s Mission Society following worship, Butler Hall.

Sunday, December 11 - Advent Day of Joy Rev. Elijah Zehyoue preaching, and featuring Calvary Children’s Choir, 11:00 a.m.

Latino Fellowship Christmas Gala, 6:00 p.m. in Shallenberger Hall.

Sunday, December 18 – Advent Day of Love Festival Choir leads a traditional Service of Lessons and Carols, 11:00 a.m.

Calvary Conversation on Immigration, 12:30 p.m.

Saturday, December 24 – Christmas Eve Cookies and cider, 4:30 p.m. in Woodward Hall Christmas Eve Worship with Nativity, 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, December 25 – Christmas Day

Coffee and doughnut fellowship, 10:00 a.m. in Woodward Hall (no Sunday School) Family Worship, Rev. Erica Lea preaching, 11:00 a.m.

Monday, December 26 through Monday, January 2 – Church office closed.

Sunday, January 1 – New Year’s Day

Coffee and doughnut fellowship, 10:00 a.m. in Woodward Hall (no Sunday School) Christmastide Worship, Rev. Erica Lea preaching, 11:00 a.m.

Sunday, January 8 – Epiphany Sunday

Sunday School and Sanctuary Choir resume. Epiphany Worship, Rev. Elijah Zehyoue preaching, 11:00 a.m.

Three Kings Day Family Party, 12:30 p.m. in Shallenberger Hall.

Coming Up at Calvary

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